Displaying items by tag: China

China’s planned artificial intelligence-controlled ‘social credit’ system is bringing a new depth of intervention into the lives of its citizens, including Christians. A vast network of advanced surveillance technology uses monitors individuals’ location, records their facial expressions and body language, and tracks all movements, giving them ‘social scores’ as they go about their daily lives. The expanding system could severely affect Christians if they are deemed to demonstrate ‘dissent’. In September 2018 the largest house church in Beijing was shut down for refusing to have security cameras inside their building, and 344 pastors called on the authorities to allow full religious freedom, adding, ‘For the sake of the gospel, we are prepared to bear the loss of our freedom and of our lives.’ Meanwhile the Bible Society reported the Bible is China’s best-seller, even though there are only 4,600 ordained pastors. On average, every pastor is responsible for 6,700 Christians.

2018 has seen a growth in the persecution of Christians, in some cases with a significant increase. There is a battle going on as more people embrace the Gospel. Here are three nations to pray for – two facing persecution and the third traumatised by civil war.

CHINA

• New regulations on religious affairs were introduced in February of this year. Persecution has intensified – churches have been demolished and crosses destroyed, some churches are seeing pictures of Jesus replaced with pictures of President Xi.
• In the western Xinjiang region over a million Uighurs have been put in “re-education centres”. This is a non-Chinese part of China and there are a heavy army and police crackdown. Christian friends just returned from Xinjiang report that Christians have also been sent to the camps. They cite the case of a Christian friend whose husband has been returned to his country of birth and the wife has been imprisoned for 18 years with no charges so no appeals can be made about her sentence.
• The three self-movement who are registered with the government have been told that nobody under 18 can attend their services to stop “indoctrination.”

Pray for strength and boldness for those caught up in this situation and for God’s love to astound their persecutors.

INDIA

• Persecution is intensifying. Extreme Hindus have an aim to eradicate every Muslim and Christian from India by 2021. In some places, they seem to have support from the government and the police. Pastors have been killed and their own family accused of the murder despite eyewitness reports of Hindu extremists.
• This is also a time of unprecedented church growth with many testimonies of miracles and amazing moves of the Holy Spirit amongst young people. The remarkable children’s prayer movement is growing. One district had no Christians 10 years ago and now has 200 churches.
• Persecution is more likely in traditional rural areas and in the north but radical Hindus can, and do, arise anywhere.

Pray for God’s Holy Spirit to blow on his church. Pray for more of you Lord. More miracles, more conversions, more joy, more children and young people on fire for Jesus. Bless your remarkable people in India.

YEMEN

• Houthi Shia Muslim rebel movement seized large areas of Yemen in 2014 when a new president was appointed. The Houthis went on to take Yemen’s largest city Sanaa, forcing President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi into exile abroad.
• The conflict escalated dramatically in March 2015, when Saudi Arabia and eight other mostly Sunni Muslim Arab states - backed by the US, UK, and France - began air strikes against the Houthis, with the declared aim of restoring Mr. Hadi's government.
• The Iranians backed the Houthis and this impoverished nation became the surrogate battleground for the Middle East’s big players. The UN fears that up to 14 million Yemenis face famine.

Pray for peace and for food to reach the starving. Pray for people disillusioned with Islam to discover Jesus.

Steve Botham, Director of World Prayer Centre

Western nations including the USA, France, and Germany have called on China to close down detention camps in the western region of Xinjiang which activists claim hold as many as one million Uyghurs and other Muslims. China, however, has described these criticisms as ‘seriously far away from facts’. Its vice minister of foreign affairs, Le Yucheng, told UNHCR in Geneva that his country protects the freedoms of its 55 ethnic minorities. China has said Xinjiang faces a threat from Islamist militants and separatists, and rejects all accusations of mistreatment and denies mass internment, although it states that some citizens guilty of minor offences are being sent to vocational centres to work. Mr Le, referring to Xinjiang, said: ‘Stability is most important, prevention should be put first. Setting up the training centres is a preventative measure to combat terrorism.’

The situation for the church in China has changed sharply in the past six months. There are 129.7 million professing Christians in China and there has been an explosive growth in people coming to Christ. Earlier in the year the Chinese leader Xi Jinping was elected President for life, this makes him the most powerful leader politically since Mao. He is using that added power to persecute all non- communists in the nation. A huge expansion in surveillance technology makes Xi’s capacity to watch and impede his “enemies” unprecedented. Many house church leaders have been forced into hiding and hundreds are missing with unconfirmed reports that up to 300 have been killed.

The BBC has reported the terrible plight of the Muslim Uyghurs with a heavy military presence on the streets and up to one million placed in Chinese correction camps. Many church leaders in that region have also been taken away.

Across the nation crosses are taken down, Bibles burned and government facial recognition devices have been placed in many churches. Landlords who rent property to churches are finding themselves with huge fines, forcing many to evict congregations and church gatherings. Police can stop and search anyone on the streets to look for threats to society. These threats include bible apps and communications with Christian websites. Oppression is growing and we will be monitoring the situation carefully.

Pray for great wisdom and love for church leaders. Pray this persecution will be widely reported. God is King of Kings and Lord of Lords so in the midst of persecution, we pray for the fire of God to fall on China and for miracles of protection, provision, and healing.

Steve Botham, Director of World Prayer Centre

“Earlier this year we sent out a newsletter entitled "A Special China Issue," which told of the massive and brutal persecution of Christians underway in China. Many people were shocked by what we shared, and some even doubted if it was true, as other sources weren't reporting the trouble.

In the following months it became clear that God's people in China are not merely going through a regular season of hardship, but a major effort is underway to completely control the Church, backed by new technology that creates challenges to the Body of Christ that have never been encountered before. In this newsletter we will update you on the crisis in China, while attempting to answer some of the common questions people have asked.

What's the Latest News from China?

In recent months the government has markedly increased the pressure on Christians throughout the country. We received an unconfirmed report from a long-term China missionary stating that 314 house church Christians have been killed in recent months, and hundreds more are missing. Most house church leaders have gone into hiding and have disconnected their phones and other devices because of the incredible surveillance capabilities of the state.

Thousands of house churches (which are considered illegal in China) have been closed. Reflecting the actions of Mao's Red Guards in the 1960s, religious symbols such as crosses and Scripture posters have been torn down and replaced by flags of China or portraits of President Xi Jinping.

Note: Our website version of this newsletter includes several important links to articles and videos to help people understand what's going on in China and how best to pray. Please visit www.asiaharvest.org for more detailed information.

Links to articles:
Updated: Large Beijing house church banned as China continues Christian persecution
Inmates initiate hunger strike amid mass incarceration crackdown
China Uighurs: Xinjiang legalises 're-education' camps
Leave no dark corner

Some congregations have been ordered to sing the national anthem or other patriotic songs at the start of their services. Others have been ordered to install government facial-recognition surveillance cameras inside their worship halls, and those that have refused to comply have been forced to shut down.

Landlords who rent buildings to Christians are being heavily fined by the government, with new laws allowing fines of between 20,000 to 200,000 Yuan (almost US$30,000). This has created a climate of fear and suspicion, and thousands of fellowships have been forced out of the premises they were renting. On the streets, the police have the power to stop and search anyone they wish and to check their phones and other devices for content they deem a threat to society. These threats may include the presence of a Bible app or visits to Christian websites, or any communication considered unpatriotic.

The most severe persecution is occurring in the vast Xinjiang region in northwest China. In recent years a promising church movement had emerged among the Uyghur, Kazakh and Kirghiz people groups, but most of the church leaders have been arrested and taken to concentration camps in the desert. Reputable news organizations estimate at least one million people are being detained and tortured in those camps right now. Many suburbs in cities like Urumqi, Hami and Kashgar are now depopulated and countless buildings have been boarded up. Although this initiative was designed to target Muslims in border areas, almost all Uygur and Kazakh church leaders have also been taken away. The government doesn't care whether someone is a Muslim or Christian. It's all the same to them.

Spiritual Forces Behind the Persecution

While there are human reasons for the dramatic persecution, we should never lose sight of the fact that Satan and his fallen hosts hate God's people, and they never rest in trying to destroy them. We recently updated our Christian stats for all 2,866 cities and counties in China, and the end result was a marked increase since the last time we reviewed our figures. Currently, we estimate a total of 129.7 million professing Christians in China, of which 109 million are Evangelical believers. The Chinese government is fully aware of the explosive growth of the Church in China, and they are determined to stop it. They don't want China taking over from South Korea as the number one Evangelical country in Asia.

Political Ambitions

If you have read our Asia Harvest newsletters for some time you will know we don't usually mention politics at all, as our call is to equip the Church in Asia and not to be entangled by civilian affairs (2 Timothy 2:4). Our goal is not to favor one political system over another, but to see all people groups of Asia hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If one quote sums up what we think about politics, it would be this famous one from an economist in the last century: "Under Communism man oppresses man. Under capitalism it's the other way around."

To understand the human reasons of why China is so determined to destroy the Church, however, it's helpful to grasp the historical background behind China's geopolitical ambitions. Starting in the 1800s, China was dominated by foreign powers that carved up various parts of the country and exploited their natural resources. The Chinese consider this the darkest period in their history, and have labelled it "The century of humiliation." Chinese resentment and desire to revenge their "loss of face" runs deep. Japan was one of the foreign nations that dominated China during this period, inflicting shameful cruelties on the Chinese people. A few years ago a survey in China found that 82 percent of respondents said China should launch a war with Japan before the end of this decade.

In a bid to try to erase the painful memories of the past, China believes they have an opportunity to be the new world super-power, replacing the United States and the West. To achieve this lofty goal, President Xi Jinping has stopped at nothing to implement his "One Belt, One Road" initiative, which would result in China having the most powerful economy and military on earth. To help him succeed, earlier this year Xi was appointed ‘President for life'. Whereas often in the West we think in terms of months and years, the Chinese think in terms of decades and even centuries. They are not in a rush, and are determined to gradually work their way toward becoming the undisputed world power.

The Communist leaders trying so desperately to implement their global vision are God-hating atheists, and they are determined not to let anyone or anything stand in their way. They want absolute power over what people do, say and think, and Christians, Muslims, or anyone else who may pose a threat to their goals are being subdued, controlled, or eradicated. These are the reasons behind the current campaign to wipe out the Church in China. Mao tried to do this from the 1950s to 1970s, and Xi Jinping seems determined to finish the job that Mao failed to do….

Read the PDF Version of this Newsletter

www.asiaharvest.org

Let’s continue to pray for a change of policy by the Chinese government that will permit religious freedom. Pray for the encouragement and strengthening of our brothers and sisters in Christ and that the Lord will use the persecution of His people to greatly expand the ministry of the Church and the turning to Christ even more huge numbers of this most populous nation.

The Vatican and China have signed a provisional agreement to allow jointly-approved Catholic bishops in China for the first time. Some say it is a significant step towards re-establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries. But critics ask why the church, historically a defender of human rights and Christian values, would willingly join forces with the increasingly authoritarian atheist Chinese government. The agreement will allow the Holy See and the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association to approve jointly the appointment of bishops in China. It comes at a time when religious persecution is escalating after the Chinese government issued new regulations forcing churches to display the national flag and the president’s portrait, while at the same time removing crosses from buildings. See

Britain has given a strong message to Chinese companies that it is fully open for business as it prepares to leave the EU next year, and that China is one of the countries with which Britain would like to sign a post-Brexit free trade deal. Following talks between British trade minister Liam Fox and China’s commerce ministry, they have agreed to look at the possibility of reaching a ‘top notch’ free trade agreement after Brexit. They met at the British Ambassador’s residence in Beijing and signed memorandums of understanding between British and Chinese firms and institutions. China also said that it hoped Britain would use a major import fair in November in Shanghai, which President Xi is overseeing, to expand its exports to China. Dr Fox and Prince Andrew are expected to be leading Britain’s delegation.

Please pray for a man recently rescued from bonded labour slavery who is living with special needs. The International Justice Mission freed him and 13 others from a ginger farm. He is deaf and living with a developmental disability. He does not know traditional sign language, so Christians are working with specialists to communicate with him and serve him in their aftercare programme. Pray that they can help this man get all the care and comfort he needs, and for him to return safely home as soon as possible. Last week we asked God to encourage, protect and continue to grow His Chinese Church after hearing of crosses being removed from buildings. This week Prayercast reported, ‘Beijing's biggest house church was forced to shut down for refusing governmental surveillance.’ and ‘Many are calling this China's worst persecution since Mao’. Thousands of house churches have been shut down and Christians are detained.

In the Philippines, officials are taking stock of the immense damage caused by Typhoon Mangkhut. On Luzon landslides buried a church where people were sheltering, and engulfed a miners’ bunkhouse with up to fifty inside. The casualties are expected to be 100+. Pray for God to comfort the bereaved and bring healing to the sick. An estimated 5.7 million people have been affected by Mangkhut, and delivering aid supplies is a major challenge. Pray for many workers to come and help repair the infrastructure. In the town of Baggao, where YWAM have a base, houses were demolished, power lines were downed, roads were cut off by landslides, and many remain submerged. Pray for God to give strength and wisdom to those offering counsel and shelter. Rice and corn crops waiting for harvest are under floodwater. Pray for the fishermen and farmers who have lost everything. Mangkhut moved on to Hong Kong and China, tearing off roofs, blowing in doors and shattering glass windows. Pray for the evacuees now returning to devastation.

Authorities continue to tear down and demolish crosses in Zhengzhou, Nanyang, and Yuzhou. The Chinese Gospel Fellowship in Nanyang sang hymns to encourage each other in their empty church after the cross was demolished. Eight house churches were shut down in one district alone. Local Christians said that it was hard to estimate how many churches had been closed. In Zhongmo County, local government told each church to remove their cross, but nobody responded. Some were afraid the government would demolish the cross, so they covered it with a black veil to conceal it. Religious persecution has been escalating since the government issued new regulations in February. In Henan, which has a large Christian population, authorities are forcing churches to display the national flag and the president’s portrait. To read about the many measures to restrict pastors, click the ‘More’ button. All of these actions are in violation of the Chinese Christians’ freedom of religion.